Ultimate Terrain: Yay or nay?
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Thread: Ultimate Terrain: Yay or nay?

  1. #1
    wildcat400
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    Ultimate Terrain: Yay or nay?

    http://www.flight1.com/products.asp?product=utxusa

    Is Ultimate Terrain worth it? Pros? Cons? How are frame rates?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    harleyman
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    Yes...Yes And Yes........


    All pros...No Cons


    That and GEX are fantastic upgrades and worth every cent

    No impact at all on frames...it helped on mine (I think...LOL )

  3. #3
    SOH-CM-2024
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    It's a definite, really adds a lot for the USA. I wish the landclass was more in tune with what they did for FS9 though, In FS9, you can tell exactly where you are if you know your arena. Like harleyman says, GE-X is a wonderful addition as well. I would also add FSGenesis's 9.6-meter mesh, makes for really fine terrain. Even with Terrain in FSX pushed to 10-meters to handle the FSG mesh, I see no significant loss in frame rates.

    Caz

  4. #4
    wildcat400
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    Harleyman & Cazzie,
    Thank you for the quick replies. I'm sold already. Going to purcahse and download now. I took a screenshot of Harrisburg International Airport a few secs ago. Once I am done downloading this I will take a screenshot of the airport with the Ultimate terrain and post the pics.

  5. #5
    harleyman
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    Cool...You are more than welcome ...



    I choose to include the CD too...You will not be sorry as these wrappers can be a struggle on reinstall....

  6. #6
    wildcat400
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    Weird thing is is that flight1.com is allowing me to download this first. When do I pay (not like I am complaining!)?

  7. #7
    harleyman
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    You pay when you run the installer...Save all your E mail info from them..it will help with reinstalling if needed

  8. #8
    wildcat400
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    Quote Originally Posted by harleyman View Post
    You pay when you run the installer...Save all your E mail info from them..it will help with reinstalling if needed
    I always save any info from these flight sim sites. Thanks!

  9. #9
    Didn't quite escape.
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    I've only ever had one problem reinstalling from a Flight1 wrapper that wasn't my own fault (i.e. changed e-mail addresses) and it was resolved within a day of me e-mailing "Help!"

    I'll also join the bandwagon of saying that Ultimate Terrain is well worth having, however.

    Ian P.

  10. #10
    wildcat400
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    (Stupid question: Does the Ultimate Terrain program automatically start when you open FSX up?)


    Before and after shots of Harrisburg International Airport:

  11. #11
    quantumleap
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    Firstly, UTX is not a program which runs when FSX opens but is a set of scenery files which FSX reads when it runs.

    From your screenshots I can tell that UTX is installed, however, the benefits of it are best seen when you are in the air around 3000 ft above the ground, and not at ground level.

    Remember also that UTX enhances roads, railroads, coastlines, water features, urban landclass, night lighting, road traffic, etc., but it does not enhance airport buildings or airport environment i.e. your before and after shots have very little in them of what UTX enhances.

    Jeff

  12. #12
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    Ultimate Terrain Configuration should have been run when you finished the installation. It doesn't run inside the sim, but you can launch it from your Start menu - shut FS down first!!!

    Ian P.

  13. #13
    wildcat400
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    Quote Originally Posted by quantumleap View Post
    Firstly, UTX is not a program which runs when FSX opens but is a set of scenery files which FSX reads when it runs.

    From your screenshots I can tell that UTX is installed, however, the benefits of it are best seen when you are in the air around 3000 ft above the ground, and not at ground level.

    Remember also that UTX enhances roads, railroads, coastlines, water features, urban landclass, night lighting, road traffic, etc., but it does not enhance airport buildings or airport environment i.e. your before and after shots have very little in them of what UTX enhances.

    Jeff
    Ok, so basically if FSX is running then UTX is running. Right?

    Ok, gotcha about how it's best viewed about 3k feet. After work tonight I will take a Hornet up and snap some pics.

  14. #14
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    The big differences are coastlines, roads and railways. In UTX CA (this won't be as obvious in USA), there are thousands more lakes post-UTX installation than there were before. That was the big thing I saw, when I first loaded it.

    It's also nice, when I'm doing my naff WW2 airfields, that roads are usually present and in the right place - even if it means I have to fairly regularly exclude them because what was a taxiway is now a road!

    Ian P.

  15. #15
    wildcat400
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    Whatcha guys think:

  16. #16
    quantumleap
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    Without locations it is difficult to compare with what others may see but generally I'd say that UTX is installed.

    Other comments:

    - You have a bad case of the blurries i.e. your FSX settings and sliders are pushing your system so that the FSX scenery engine cannot keep up with everything it is needing to do and so dropping the quality on some of the distant scenery.
    - You have a bad flatten cell around the airport in the first screenshot which is causing the strange straight lines in the water and the weird cliffs in the middle of the image. The flatten should only fit the exact surroundings of the airport and not the entire cell it is in.

    Jeff

  17. #17
    SOH-CM-2024
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    UT is installed because the roads are there. UT-X has a configuration window. Open it and see how many options are active or inactive and choose what you wish from their drop-down. Also check under Ultimate Terrain in the File Bar and you can change road color and adjust water colors and lighting.

    Caz

  18. #18
    wildcat400
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    Quote Originally Posted by quantumleap View Post
    Without locations it is difficult to compare with what others may see but generally I'd say that UTX is installed.
    NAS Roosevelt Roads Puerto Rico

    Quote Originally Posted by quantumleap View Post
    - You have a bad case of the blurries i.e. your FSX settings and sliders are pushing your system so that the FSX scenery engine cannot keep up with everything it is needing to do and so dropping the quality on some of the distant scenery.
    - You have a bad flatten cell around the airport in the first screenshot which is causing the strange straight lines in the water and the weird cliffs in the middle of the image. The flatten should only fit the exact surroundings of the airport and not the entire cell it is in.
    Uh oh. That's not good. So do you suggest that for my FSX sliders I bring them down? And if so... by how much?

  19. #19
    Did you install the updates?
    http://www.scenerysolutions.com/ut_downloads_FSX.html

    first the Xpack patch... and please read the readmes for the updates.
    After that run the UTX Setup Tool and deactivate the options you don't need and the night lighting (eats FPS).
    Close it and run FSX...

  20. #20
    Quote Originally Posted by wildcat400 View Post
    (Stupid question: Does the Ultimate Terrain program automatically start when you open FSX up?)


    Before and after shots of Harrisburg International Airport:

    mmm, to be honest, both look rather bland to me...
    ok, a bit more stuff in the 2nd, but still...
    I found that FTX gave a HUGE improvement over default (for Oz), but this..
    Any other before and after shots?
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  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by jankees View Post
    mmm, to be honest, both look rather bland to me...
    ok, a bit more stuff in the 2nd, but still...
    I found that FTX gave a HUGE improvement over default (for Oz), but this..
    Any other before and after shots?
    Found UTX an absolute must for USA! Helps VFR nav, when using maps to follow roads, rail. Since then, FTX (Orbx) came out which is only for Australia at present, and yep it's an AWESOME improvement! They have said they are doing PNW, Alaska & others but not 'till next year, so I live and wait in hope! :d I like PNW and Alaska especially, most of the mountains we have in Oz are just a little lower than PNW!
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  22. #22
    It is even more importand for Europe I'd say, it is a must to have. It improves especially Central Europe and intruduces fantastic landclass. Besides that, you can enable/disable all kinds of roads in the addon. The control panel is very useful.

    One for you Jankees - Dutch coast.

  23. #23
    wildcat400
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    I'm at work now. Will post before and after pics after work.

  24. #24
    you know - I was using UTX / GEX and was happy with it - then I had to reinstall FSX and after getting it in and running clean as FTX / Acceleration RTM and flying from KORS Orcas Island I was liking the frame rates I was getting even with the sliders for terrain and texture higher than they were before - and I had not even done the autogen trees and buildings tweak yet!

    So I loaded UTX and flew - and half my trees were gone and the FPS had dipped...hmmm

    added GEX thinking maybe there were some better frames to be had with it - but no...the FPS was down 5-10% and I was not as happy with the look of things.

    So I am using XGraphics, FS Water Configurator and GEX lite (mostly un-checked) and then I use FTX free Tasmania for the down under flights or when I want a little different scenery and thats it.

    I hope REX is not a frame hog....but if it is - I can live with what I've got now.
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  25. #25
    SOH-CM-2024 jmig's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by quantumleap View Post
    Firstly, UTX is not a program which runs when FSX opens but is a set of scenery files which FSX reads when it runs.

    ...Remember also that UTX enhances roads, railroads, coastlines, water features, urban landclass, night lighting, road traffic, etc., but it does not enhance airport buildings or airport environment i.e. your before and after shots have very little in them of what UTX enhances.

    Jeff
    It de-enhanced my home airport. Took away the water landing strip that is there. But, I agree with the rest. It makes a big difference to FSX. I like it.
    John

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